The first is that Angela Merkel's coalition lost big. While her own Christian Democratic party came in second, her ally in government, the Free Democrats fell below the 5% threshold, making them ineligible to pick up any seats in the election.

The other big news: The Pirate Party -- which is committed to freeing up the internet -- came up big, garnering 9% of the vote (!) and winning seats in government for the first time in the party's history.

Via the party's own website, here's a look at the vote breakdown:

Anyway, another electoral setback for Team Merkel doesn't help the current course of bailouts in Europe (at all).